Firefighters from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service have spent the day battling a significant fire at a waste recycling site near Cordons Farm in Braintree, with approximately 35 tonnes of waste catching fire.

Crews from Braintree, Dunmow, and Coggeshall were first called to the scene earlier today and have worked throughout the afternoon and evening to bring the fire under control.

In an update at 6.40pm, Watch Manager Sharon Blute praised the efforts of the teams:

“Crews have worked hard, with difficult water supply, to tackle the fire hotspots in the rubbish. There is no risk of smoke to the community, and relief crews will remain to monitor the scene.”

Local residents had previously been warned to keep windows and doors closed due to heavy smoke, but the fire service has now confirmed that the risk to the public has passed.

On-Call Heroes

The crews who responded to today’s incident are all on-call firefighters, trained professionals who live or work within five minutes of their local fire station and are called upon when needed. Essex County Fire and Rescue is encouraging more local residents to consider joining the team.

“If you live or work within five minutes of an on-call fire station, you could be an on-call firefighter too,” a spokesperson said. “Search ‘Join Essex Fire’ to find out more.”

Ongoing Monitoring

Relief crews remain at the scene to damp down remaining hotspots and ensure the fire does not reignite overnight. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, and an investigation may follow once the site is declared safe.

For the latest safety updates and recruitment opportunities, visit www.essex-fire.gov.uk or follow @ECFRS on social media.